Name/Title
Police Athletics Association tug of war trophy c1950Entry/Object ID
2342Description
Silver plated plaque, on plastic frame with rear support, with cross symbol of the Police Athletics Association topped with a King's Crown around which is the wording "Police Athletics Association Championships". Also there are two blue enamelled police "blue lamps" with "Police" written therein, an embossed stylised male pulling a rope and the wording "Athletic Championships Tug- Of -War (Catchweights). On rear marked "F. Phillips Silversmiths Aldershot"Use
Individual team member's trophy for being part of a winning tug of war teamContext
Police forces always encouraged their officers to take part in sporting activities as a way of improving fitness and promoting healthy living. Sports facilities were provided, annual sports days held and in many cases officers allowed to represent their forces during paid "duty time".
The national Police Athletics Association was formed in 1927 as a result of the efforts of the Chief Constable of Bradford Joesph Farndale and the first championships were held in 1928 in Liverpool. The Association oversaw a range of sporting events which has continued to grow.
Organised Tug of War competitions were particularly popular amongst police forces, even before the formation of the PAA, and were common amongst the forces within Sussex since at least the early 20th century, as a host of photographs of winning police teams, demonstrate. It appears to have been especially popular within West Sussex Constabulary and in 1958 and 1959 the Horsham Division Catchweight team were the National Police Champions (Barrett 2008 page 275).
This particular trophy is for the national PAA Championships and the use of the King's Crown suggests it dates to pre 1952. It belonged to Robert Allen, who was a Superintendent in Sussex Police in the late 1970s. He is believed to have joined East Sussex Constabulary in 1948 and this trophy probably dates from his early years within the force.
A photograph of the East Sussex Constabulary tug of war team from the 1950s appears to show either the same or a very similar trophy on the left in the foreground, together with others that the team won.